RSPB Bird Reports

ORKNEY BIRD RECORDS
November 2011

Autumn migration is often over by late October but this year saw exciting movements continuing up to the third week of November as south or south-east winds dominated the weather.

Some late Red-throated Diver movement was noted with 15 off North Ronaldsay on 5th and 13 passing the Brough of Birsay on 27th.  The largest gathering of Great Northern Divers was 37 between Inganess and Rerwick on 6th.  Black-throated Divers are always much scarcer so that one in Widewall Bay on 18th and 11 in the Bay of Sandoyne on 20th were of note.  A small influx of Great Crested Grebes occurred with singles off Scapa on 13th and 15th, one on the Tankerness Loch on 14th and one off Glimps Holm on 26th.  A Red-necked Grebe was a very unusual visitor to Papay on 20th.  The largest concentration of Slavonian Grebes was 38 in Echnaloch Bay on 5th but 33 were between No 1 Barrier and Sandoyne on 20th when 18 were also on the Harray Loch.  Little Grebes continued to move into their saline winter quarters with up to four at the Finstown Ouse and the Brig o’ Waithe.

Up to 3000 Fulmars per hour were passing the Brough of Birsay on 27th when, amongst them, eight ‘blue’ birds (visitors from the Arctic) were noted.  An exhausted Storm Petrel was found at Swannay on 28th and released at Evie next day.  The highest count of Shags was 400 in Widewall Bay on 18th and of Herons, nine at the same locality on 20th.

Shapinsay once again proved to be the favourite locality for Whooper Swans with 153 there on 19th while there were 17 reports of up to 50.  The first of the winter’s goose counts took place on 5th/6th and produced a total of 65845 Greylag Geese and 210 Pink-footed Geese.  A week later a most unusual arrival of Tundra Bean Geese occurred with up to 22 on North Ronaldsay on 12th, four at Echnaloch and nine at Cara on 16th, 18 over the Hope and one in Birsay on 22nd.  These were associated with a simultaneous arrival of European White-fronted Geese, up to 48 being logged on North Ronaldsay after 12th, 13 at Knockhall, South Ronaldsay on 16th, 10 at The Loons on 20th, four at Echnaloch on 21st and three at the Tomb of the Eagles on 25th.  These are unprecedented arrivals for both these geese and presumably were the result of the strong winds pushing them away from their usual wintering areas in the Low Countries.  Our usual wintering flock of Greenland White-fronted Geese numbered only 24 at The Loons on 6th with singles at Dale on 26th and at the Tankerness Loch next day.  1500 Barnacle Geese were on South Walls during the goose census while elsewhere 72 were found in the West Mainland, 26 on South Ronaldsay and up to ten elsewhere; 30 were at Point of Ayre on 1st.  The Pale-bellied Brent Goose remained at St. Peter’s Pool to at least 5th with another on North Ronaldsay on 7th-10th and three on Papay on 20th.

Returning Shelducks built up in Widewall Bay to number 15 by 20th; singles were on North Ronaldsay on 11th and 28th.  A record count of 90 Gadwall was made on the Stenness Loch on 20th while the Peedie Sea was a more unusual locality for a drake during much of the month.  Teal peaked at 567 at Shapinsay’s Mill Dam on 19th and at 320 at Loch of Banks on 6th.  A Green-winged Teal was a rare but almost regular visitor to the Mill Dam on 26th.  Mallard were conspicuous with a phenomenal 600 at the Mill Dam, again on 26th, and as many as 170 on the Peedie Sea on 21st.  The mild weather encouraged displaying and mating to take place at Mill Dam.  The Loch of Brockan is main winter resort for Pintail on the Mainland and 17 were there on 6th; sadly shooters maimed a drake, perhaps part of our tiny breeding population, at this site mid-month.  50 Shovelers on Papay on 20th was a good count.  141 Scaup were on the Harray Loch on 20th when 46 were on neighbouring Stenness Loch.  Common Scoters were unusually conspicuous with a tight flock of 49, all females or immatures, on the Stenness Loch on 20th, 21 at Scapa on 12th, up to 13 off North Ronaldsay and seven other reports of up to nine.  23 Velvet Scoters were in Inganess Bay on 6th with singles in Evie Bay on 5th and at Sandoyne on 20th; more unusually singles were inland on the Hundland Loch on 1st and the Wasdale Loch on 20th.  The drake Surf Scoter was seen off the Long Ayre, Tankerness on 6th.  A Goosander was on North Ronaldsay from 11th to 18th while two were on the Loch of Skaill on 20th.
After a terrific breeding season in which 101 young Hen Harriers were reared in Orkney, this species is everywhere to be seen.  A female Marsh Harrier was at Loch of Banks on 17th the same day as a Rough-legged Buzzard was at Stembister, Toab. Even more exciting, however, was the white-phase Gyr Falcon that was seen near Copland’s Dock, Stromness on 30th.

As many as five Water Rails were reported from North Ronaldsay on 3rd one-two being noted at five other sites.  90 Ringed Plovers gathered on Stromness Golf Course on 3rd.  There were some large flocks of Golden Plover with 3000 at Loch of Isbister on 20th, 2600 at Kirbuster, Birsay and 1200 at Northside, Birsay on 18th (although interchange between all of these is possible) and 1050 at The Ouse, Shapinsay on 19th.  The only Grey Plovers were one-two on Papay and North Ronaldsay.  Very few Knot were reported, the most being 10 at Widewall Bay on 20th.  111 Sanderlings was the peak count on North Ronaldsay on 22nd.  The vagrant Baird’s Sandpiper from North America remained on North Ronaldsay until 17th.  Purple Sandpiper flocks increased markedly during the month with peaks of 227 on North Ronaldsay, 180 at Newark Bay, Deerness, 160 on Papay and 110 at Birsay Bay.  Two Curlew Sandpipers were very late migrants at Mill Dam on 5th, one remaining to 7th. 

Good Snipe counts involved 135 on North Ronaldsay on 14th and 70 at Loch of Banks on 17th.  Although up to five Jack Snipe were logged on North Ronaldsay (peak on 11th), only three other singles were reported, from Costa, Orphir and Egilsay.  North Ronaldsay also saw a good arrival of Woodcocks on 9th when 49 were counted; elsewhere one-three were noted at fourteen sites.  By far the largest gathering of Bar-tailed Godwits was of 197 in fields near Mill Sand, Tankerness on 27th.  Late Greenshanks involved two at The Loons on 5th and one at the Kirbister Loch on 20th while a Green Sandpiper, also very late was near Clestrain, Orphir on 11th and a Spotted Redshank was at the Hundland Loch on 1st/2nd.  Single Grey Phalaropes were at North Ronaldsay on 12th and at Point of Ayre on 30th.

Thirteen Pomarine Skuas were reported during the month, all singles apart from three past Point of Ayre on 8th and five there on 11th.  Late Bonxies were noted off North Ronaldsay on 2nd and 3rd, off Yesnaby on 6th and off Point of Ayre on 15th.  Little Gulls were seen on North Ronaldsay up to 12th with a peak of six on 12th; others were at Scapa on 8th and in Deerness (two) on 17th.  Black-headed Gulls largely vacate the north isles in winter so that 40 in North Wick, Papay on 12th were of note.  Iceland Gulls often don’t arrive from their Greenland (!)  breeding grounds until the turn of the year so that an arrival of at least six (at North Ronaldsay, Marwick, Scapa and Stromness) during the month was unusual.  Similarly, Glaucous Gull records also totalled six with singles on North Ronaldsay, Stromness, Brough of Birsay, Waulkmill Bay and with two on Papay on 20th.  The Kittiwakes that were passing the Brough of Birsay at up to 120 per hour on 27th were presumably birds from well to the north as probably was the extremely late juvenile Arctic Tern at Scapa on 12th.  From similar climes came the Little Auks that were seen off Scapa Pier (up to four), Point of Ayre (five on 12th) and North Ronaldsay (one-two on three dates).

One-two migrant Wood Pigeons were seen on North Ronaldsay and at Herston up to mid-month with a Collared Dove at the former locality on 16th/17th.  Short-eared Owls become more nocturnal in an Orkney winter and so are less conspicuous; however, a marked arrival of presumably Scandinavian birds occurred during the early part of the month with a peak of eight on North Ronaldsay on 5th.  North Ronaldsay also noted up to five Long-eared Owls while one-three were seen at seven other localities. The long-staying Short-toed Lark on North Ronaldsay was joined by another on 1st, one remaining to 3rd.  A Swift patrolling the cliffs at Marwick Head on 19th was bizarrely late, even more so than the single Swallows that remained on Sanday to 4th and on North Ronaldsay to 10th.  A few Grey Wagtails were reported with singles on North Ronaldsay on three dates to mid-month, one near Kirkwall Airport and one in Kirkwall itself on 16th.  Waxwings were never going to put on a showing like that of 2010 but 20 were in Stromness on 1st and there were eight other records of up to five.  A few Dunnocks continued to pass through North Ronaldsay with a peak of four on 14th.

A late arrival of Robins brought 60 to North Ronaldsay on 9th.  Black Redstarts continued to  be conspicuous with North Ronaldsay logging birds on 16 dates with a peak of nine on 1st; elsewhere there were seven single birds up to 12th.  Late Whinchats involved one at Cara, South Ronaldsay on 5th and three singles in Deerness up to 6th.  Stonechats were reported from North Ronaldsay on 1st, from Rendall (one-two) and from the Echnaloch area of Burray (one-two).  There were far more November Wheatears than is usual:  one-two were at four sites to 12th while North Ronaldsay recorded a peak of five on 3rd with the last there on 23rd.  Hot on the heels of last month’s Desert Wheatear came another, Orkney’s fourth, only this time the bird on North Ronaldsay was an adult male so that no identification debate was necessary! 

Ring Ouzels have been very scarce this autumn the only records for the month being two on North Ronaldsay on 3rd (one remaining to 9th) and singles in Birsay and on Stronsay on 4th.  A marked influx of Blackbirds occurred on North Ronaldsay on 9th when 886 were logged; 110 were on Papay on 20th.  Fieldfares were especially numerous during the month with 1196 counted on North Ronaldsay on 3rd; a further influx of 563 there on 9th; and several flocks of up to 360 noted on the Mainland.  Redwings were not so common as in October but North Ronaldsay did record peaks of 245 on 4th and 9th while 180 were at Herston on 14th and 200 on Stronsay on 20th.  46 Song Thrushes were counted on North Ronaldsay during the migrant arrival of 9th.

A Lesser Whitethroat arrived on North Ronaldsay on 9th as did 15 Blackcaps, the latter species also being seen at some twenty other localities during the month with a maximum of five in Rendall on 5th.  Yellow-browed Warblers were reported from Langskaill, Toab on 5th and from Dale, Costa on 7th, 14th and 18th.  Birds showing the characteristics of the closely related Hume’s Warbler, from the mountains of southern Siberia, were seen at Herston on 4th and at Dale on 17th; if accepted these would be only the third and fourth records fro Orkney.  Seven Chiffchaffs were on North Ronaldsay on 1st with one still there on 30th; elsewhere one – four were at a dozen sites up to 19th.  One of the finds of the month was a Dusky Warbler, a very rare visitor from central and eastern Siberia that was found at West Heath, Holm on 2nd/3rd.  Goldcrests, often one of the late autumn’s commonest migrants were very scarce, North Ronaldsay recording a peak of just six on 1st with the last on 10th and Herston noting only one, on 1st; six in Finstown on 13th were probably local breeding birds.

A Blue Tit was found on a bird feeder at Berstane House on 5th and remained in the area until at least 26th.  Two Coal Tits remained in the Langskaill Plantation until at least 5th and we learnt of another that had been seen at Lettan, Sanday on 30th October.  A rare sight in Orkney was of a tribe of five Long-tailed Tits in the garden of Ley House, Hoy on 14th.  Great Grey Shrikes continued their good showing with singles at Germiston on 2nd, in Sandwick on 4th, in Deerness on 7th, on Westray on 10th, at Button, Stenness on 13th and at the Brig o’ Waithe on 19th.  One of two Jackdaws at Warebeth on 1st showed a white collar characteristic of the Nordic race as did eight of 16 in Evie on 6th; North Ronaldsay recorded a peak of 19 on 4th.  One-two Rooks passed though North Ronaldsay from 10th-18th while the mild weather convinced some of those  in Stromness to begin nest-building although this was brought to a sudden end by the storm of 26th/27th!  The Tree Sparrow at Nisthouse, Harray continued to be seen until at least 13th.

Small numbers of Bramblings were reported up to 20th, the maximum being eight at Firth School on 6th.  A marked arrival of Goldfinches occurred from 4th when 12 were seen at Woodwick, Evie; from then on up to six were noted at ten localities up to 15th.  The only Siskins were one at Wideford Burn and two in Toab on 5th while Mealy Redpolls were noted in Russadale (eight on 20th), on Hoy (one from 3rd-11th) and on North Ronaldsay on 22nd and a Lesser Redpoll was on the latter island on 13th; five unidentified redpolls were in Rendall also on 13th.  Twite flocks continued to grow the largest being 500 at each of Liddel, South Ronaldsay and Dale, Costa but with 110-230 in St. Ola, in Deerness and on Shapinsay.  The only Crossbills were a party of six in Rendall on 1st.  A small arrival of Northern Bullfinches occurred with one at Ley House, Hoy from 3rd-11th, one at Hestily, South Ronaldsay from 16th-19th and one at the Hope on 17th.

Up to three Lapland Buntings continued to be seen on North Ronaldsay up to 13th.  The peak of 202 Snow Buntings occurred on North Ronaldsay on 14th with other sizeable flocks including 153 at Point of Ayre on 22nd, 160 (in two flocks) on South Ronaldsay on 17th and 65 at Yesnaby on 19th; smaller numbers were reported from a further dozen sites.  Finally, a Yellowhammer was watched on North Ronaldsay on 4th.

Eric Meek

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